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LISBON -- Ears pricked, Mouse stepped eagerly off the horse trailer Wednesday and looked around at the waiting crowd as if he were expecting applause. Mouse, a 10-year-old dark appaloosa gelding, arrived with his owner at Days End Farm Horse Rescue for a visit. Two weeks ago, he injured his back left leg at the presidential Inaugural Parade when he spooked after seeing a horse and carriage, got his legs caught in the grill of a parked truck and fell. A Days End horse ambulance came to his rescue, traveling past Secret Service agents and parade security. The parade was delayed, in part to attend to his injuries. Now he's fine, and the stitches in his leg were removed this week. The only sign of his injury is the leg wrap he wears. Mouse arrived at Days End with his owner, Amy Manning, of Annapolis. Days End employees offered Mouse a horse cake consisting of grain, honey and carrots, and he dived right in. "She just wants to show her appreciation," said Sue Mitchell, director of development for Days End. Manning gave the rescue a donation. Brooke Vrany, director of programs and emergency services at Days End, was on duty at the Jan. 20 parade with the horse ambulance, in case any of the 217 horses in the parade needed medical treatment. Also on duty was Lt. Col. John Scott of the U.S. Army veterinary services. When Mouse got his legs caught, Vrany drove to the scene. Mouse had fallen to his side, but he remained calm. When the horse fell, his rider jumped off and was unhurt. Vrany and Scott freed his legs from the truck after the grill was cut off, but one leg was badly cut. Mouse was taken with police escort to the Prince George's County Equestrian Center, which had been a staging area for the inaugural horses. Manning, a nurse, was at work when the incident happened. Manning is a member of a sidesaddle riding group, and she lent Mouse to a fellow member to ride in the parade. Manning has ridden Mouse in many demonstrations, and he works well in front of crowds, so she thought he would do well in the parade. He doesn't do well with horses and carriages, however. "I was so excited to have him in the parade," she said. "I was going to live my inauguration experience vicariously through him." Manning, dressed in a fringe leather jacket, Western hat and boots for the Days End visit, said she got Mouse when he was 4. He's never been seriously hurt, but he's given her a few scares. She moved from New Mexico to Annapolis, and had a flat tire while pulling Mouse in her trailer on an interstate highway. Mouse got out of the trailer, and a kind motorist led him away from traffic and back to her. Days End, near Mount Airy , takes in abused and neglected horses seized by local governments and provides emergency horse rescue services at local events. This year's Inaugural Parade was the second for Vrany and the horse ambulance, although the last one had no significant problems. Manning came up with a creative fundraiser for Days End. After Mouse was treated, he was due for a new pair of horseshoes. Manning framed three of his shoes and added plaques telling Mouse's story. She kept the other shoe, the one on his injured leg, for herself. She put the framed shoes up for auction on eBay. A Days End patron bought two of the shoes for $915, and is donating the money to the rescue. One of the shoes will be given to President Barack Obama as a keepsake to remind him of the late start of his parade, Mitchell said. "I think it's a lovely memorabilia, and it could have gone the other way," she said.
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